Westchester Eats

325 South Riverside Avenue
Croton-On-Hudson, NY  10520
914-271-5555

Hours: Open all days for dinner
Monday through Thursday 5:00 pm to 10:00 pm
Friday & Saturday 5:00 pm to 10:30 pm
Sundays 1:00 pm to 10:00 pm

“Hi, my name is Dana, and I’ll be your waitress tonight.”  At first I cringed hearing that phrase which absolutely drives me nuts.  My thought bubble then scripts, “Of course you’re our waitress, arrrgh….”  However, Dana turned out to be friendly with a great smile and a fun sense of humor.  She was especially funny as we joked about the appetizer (Crabby Patties) – - don’t ever order them, but that’s another story.  Dana is a refreshing switch from two other people on the wait staff who actually make me think twice about dining at Ümami. 

Well, I’ve decided to out them.  Stay away from the likes of Raffi and Sarah. 

Good! Now I feel better.

Raffi is reminiscent of Seinfeld’s Soup Nazi character.  Upon my last visit, we barely were seated when he came to the table with his snarled unsmiling face and said (not asked) that he was ready to take our order.  HE is ready?  He was quickly informed that WE were not ready as we hadn’t even had a chance to open the menus. 

When your order arrives, Raffi will not place your plate in front of you.  He will drop it onto the table as if you were in some Oliver-esque orphanage and as if you’re being fed slop. You better not dare say, “Please sir, more?”  This is where the Raffi-nazi steps in. 

Upon my last visit, we ordered the chocolate lava cake which was beautifully warmed with vanilla ice-cream sitting on top beginning to melt and cascade down the sides giving you the impression of a miniature Devil’s Tower.  The dessert needed one thing to round it out for me – - fresh mint.  “Excuse me, may I please get a little mint?”

“Mint!?  I don’t have mint.”

“I’m sure the kitchen might have some mint, could you check for us?”

“They don’t have it.”

“Could you please check?  I’d appreciate it”

Raffi, gave me a look that read, “If I knew you were going to ask for mint, I would have spit on your chocolate lava cake before giving it to you.”

He marched off – - a couple of minutes later I heard a slam to my right side.  Raffi had roughly slammed the glass with sprigs of mint (still with stems and even some roots) in a glass.

This nasty soul wasn’t going to get me down.  I picked the leaves and tore them in chiffonade fashion over my dessert.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m not using this one example to paint Raffi as the nightmare he is – - there are previous experiences AND complaints about him from others I know who have had the pleasure of his making his acquaintance.  Raffi needs to go.

Have you met Sarah?

One of the best experiences at Ümami is immediately receiving the bowl of handmade freshly deep-fried salty chips as soon as you are seated.  They are wonderful! 

If you have the privilege of meeting Sarah, you’ll have to ask, or perhaps beg for your little plastic bowl of chips.  In addition it will take Sarah forever to bring them to you.  Once she has taken your order, she is done with you.  There is never any follow-up, you have to constantly wave her down for anything you might need. 

Socializing is big on Sarah’s agenda.  However, If you’d like to engage her, just say, “I love your accent, where are you from? England?”  Be careful what you ask for.. you might get it… The ENTIRE history of Sarah, just short of baby photos.  I’ve heard it over several visits across many tables.  So much so that I want to loudly say across the dining room, “Excuse me, I KNOW you’re from England and the reason you’re here in our country (you’ll have to ask to find out for yourself), but can we get the wine list?”  I can’t go on about Sarah anymore, it gives me a knot in my stomach.

Segue:

Ümami is a lovely place with an interesting menu.  Craig Purdy, the owner, has a lot invested here – - I’m surprised an investment in hiring bright shiny happy people isn’t part of the business plan.  It truly makes me pause and wonder if I’m up for the battle before going there.

Dana?  Haven’t seen her in awhile.  Ümami needs more people like her.  If you see her, please say, “Hello.”

This recipe was given to me by a true foodie who makes his own beer, wine, cheese, and has a wood-fired brick oven in his backyard for roasting and baking.  Americans’ traditional sense of pizza is the perfectly round baked (usually thin) dough with globs of red sauce and an over-the-top quantity of cheese.

This dough is for the purist who loves a good yeast bread (flat or otherwise) crusted simply on a sizzling hot baking stone with humble yet superior toppings to what most are used to eating.

The first step is to make the dough which begins the night before it is baked off.  Once risen, a small amount of flour, yeast, water, and a pinch of salt rise to almost over-flowing.  

Once the dough is placed onto a floured work surface and lightly kneaded, it can be divided so one piece can be used immediately and the others wrapped in parchment paper and then placed into a freezer bag for a future use (thaw / rise / use).  Knead the dough until it is elastic and smooth as a baby’s behind.  You will need to add a dusting of flour here and there to keep your hands and the dough from sticking to the board.  I also recommend the use of a bench scraper to help you along.

Then I shaped the dough as desired and placed it onto a wooden peel dusted with coarse cornmeal to keep the dough from sticking.  This allows it to be easily shaken onto the sizzling stone without effort.  Just note that it won’t come off the peel as the perfectly shaped Domino’s Pizza you have had delivered – - and you know you have been shamed to see the lit advertising dome on top of some college kid’s car arrive in front of your house while all the neighbors gawk and see that you’ve resorted to this type of food.  Shame! (Ok, I’ll admit I’ve done it too and it didn’t suck).  However, this is a completely different experience in creating this tasty flat bread.

The next thing I did to top the dough with some great flavor was to infuse some extra virgin olive oil with garlic cloves and a sprig of rosemary just until heated through over low heat.  When you do this, make sure you smash the cloves with the side of your chef’s knive and bang at the rosemary leaves a few times to release the oils before placing into the pot, which is needed to permeate the oil!  I allowed the oil to cool (remember it doesn’t get too hot in the first place….If you see a sizzle around the garlic or rosemary, you’re going too far) Next, I washed the top of the dough with just the infused oil.  Then I stripped the rosemary leaves off the stem and sprinkled across the golden mass.  In addition, I finely chopped fresh shallot and distributed it across the surface.  Finally, a good sprinkling of your best sea salt and some coarsely ground pepper.

With all the oven racks removed except for one placed onto the lowest possible level, the oven is cranked to 500 degrees fahrenheit.  The dough is quickly slid off of the peel onto the stone.  Carefully watch – - without opening the oven door, if you can – - to make sure that it browns and crisps up without burning the bottom.  My experience is that you’re looking at about 7 – 10 minutes of baking time – - but as I was trained, “You remove it from the oven, when it’s done, not when the recipe tells you to do it!”

Notice in the pictures the “before and after” of how the dough’s yeast quickly reacts to puff the bread upon hitting the stone’s surface.  That is the Yeasty-Beasty farting its last farts – - the yeast eats the sugar and gives off the gas to raise your dough.  I bet you’re salivating about now.

When it’s done, remove it from the stone with the peel and place it onto a cooling rack so that no condensation forms on the bottom crust – - you want to keep that crispy!  When it’s cool enough to handle, dig-in!  The recipe for the dough follows.

Pizza Dough (note I’ve given the recipe to you as it was given to me, from the home and hearth!)

The night before:

mix 1 1/2 cups flour and 1/8 teaspoon yeast with enough warm (not hot) water until very moist and smooth.  Let sit overnight, covered.

The next day:

Mix 4 – 6 cups flour, 3/4 teaspoon yeast, a pinch of salt with the above mixture and enough warm water until sticky but not thin in consistency.

Remember:  You can add flour easier than water!

Knead on board with flour until elastic but still soft.

You may start in a mixer if you want, but finish by hand!

Let sit for 3 – 4 hours

(Servings:  This dough recipe makes two healthy “rounds” of pizza – - or flat bread)

Buon Appetito!

Mexigo 

NOTE:  Since this review, the name Mexigo was changed to Mex-to-Go.  This due to a company in Texas claiming they had rights to the name first.  As you read this review, know that Mexigo is now Mex-to-Go.  Looks like they now have to change the menu, all signage and t-shirts.  Guess this goes to show the value of doing a name search before opening the doors for business.

325 S Riverside Ave
Croton On Hudson, NY 10520-2924
(914) 271-8646

Open 7 days, Noon to 10PM

This is a cute little space very close to its parent restaurant, Umami by owners Craig Purdy and Jonathan Pratt (also of Peter Pratt’s Inn in Yorktown Heights).  Mexigo quietly opened a few weeks ago.  The buzz around town is, “Have you tried it?”  Most people I know have not yet ventured in and were awaiting somebody else to have the first experience.  Mexigo is small, brightly colored with a large chalk-wall painted above the kitchen where the menu can be seen.  Mexigo is primarily take-out.  The store has a few stools by the windows along a small counter, so eating there is a possibility if you and a friend are on the run or to quickly throw a taco back before zipping to your next destination.  Parking on the street is scarce.  There is parking at the nail salon next door which you might be able to utilize without hassle.  Don’t let them know I told you that.

Tasting 1.0

My first experience was disappointing.  The menu items were not all available and the price on the menu for guacamole was one-dollar less than the price charged at the register.  I didn’t complain but when one of the owners, Craig Purdy arrived, I mentioned it to him.  He indicated that it was opening week and everything was a work in progress.  Not a good first impression.  When the food arrived at home it lacked seasoning.  The guacamole was very pricey for the tiny portion (yes, I know avocados are expensive, but this was a bit skimpy to be sure).  I decided I’d give them a couple of weeks to work through the kinks. 

Tasting 2.0

The second I walked in the door I was immediately greeted and asked what could be done for me.  They had just finished selling a whole roasted chicken to the gentleman before me.  Mexigo sells spit-roasted chickens after 5PM daily.  They charge $8 for a whole chicken – - about 2 ½ pounds, and $4 for a half-chicken.  The whole chicken was very crisp and browned on the exterior and very tender and juicy on the inside.  They put the chicken into an insulated to-go bag which definitely kept the chicken hot as I prepared a salad at home to accompany it.

Tasting 3.0

A much improved experience in ordering smaller items for take-out than Tasting 1.0.  I was greeted at the counter by two happy shining faces.  I believe the young lady was training the young guy on register.  Very smooth operation and the smiles couldn’t be wiped of their faces.  The chef Olin Moran was taking a small break reading a NY Times article about the current drama in the Middle East. When ordering tacos, you choose the filling and then a salsa to spice things up.  The tacos come unassembled in an aluminum tin with a plastic cover.  The cover has a white label where kitchen staff check-off what you ordered – - which is handy when ordering for more than yourself to move things along at home.  The label has three columns.  The first column shows what was ordered.  For example, it lists taco, burrito, quesadilla, or salad.  The next column indicates the filling  – - pork, beef, spiced chicken, steamed fish, or vegetables.  The final column indicates the salsa selection.The taco’s tortilla is soft corn and is approximately 6 inches in diameter.  There is a slice of lime along with the filling and some shredded lettuce, the smallest amount of diced tomato and always one small sprig of cilantro.

Taco:  The Tinga (spiced chicken) is just slightly spiced.  The flavor is nice, a bit earthy and the chicken is shredded.  Generally a Tinga is sautéed in oil along with onion and chopped chilies.  This Tinga has slight heat but it is very subtle.  The meat is reddish in color which could be from the addition of tomato or annatto seed.

Salsa Verde: Hints of citrus, nice heat, touch of vinegar, very fresh.

Taco:  Carnitas (shredded pork) is appropriately salted with a smoky essence.  The standard accompaniments for building the taco are the same as before including the miniature lime slice which doesn’t offer more than a drop of juice.

The salsa selection I made for this taco is what they consider to be their house specialty.  It is called Salsa Manolo which claims three chilis (sic per menu) with garlic and sesame.  The color is incredibly terra and earthy.  It is smoky on the nose and reflects chipotle (smoked jalapeno).  The texture is thick and the heat is present but not overwhelming.  The flavor combination of this salsa and the pork tastes authentically Mexican – - earthy and rich. The menu offers other sides such as chips and salsa and platanos and fries either by potato or yucca.  The children may especially enjoy the raspados (shaved ices made right up-front on the counter) with a variety of colored syrups.A nice addition to the Croton community.

Report Card

Eats – Good
Drinks – Soft drinks.  Would be nice to see an eventual offering of interesting authentic Mexican beers
Wait Staff – “Counter Staff” would be more to the point: Young, bouncy and happy to be there
Buzz – Customers waiting curbside talking on cell phones anxiously anxious to get to their next destination (however important that may or may not be in reality)
Award:  Concept!  Quick and to-go.  An idea that needed to become reality in this town

Todd Alan is Westchester Eat’s critic for all things to stuff into your mouth, gadgetry to play with in the kitchen, and all things food.  We make him eat crap so you don’t have to. 

I had a craving for something Thai, yet the hot weather wanted me to go for something cold.  That being the criteria, I decided to make a Thai Beef Salad.

The salad is so quick and easy to assemble, you just need the right ingredients.

I had a challenging time trying to find lemongrass.  There is a store in Croton on Hudson called Zeytinia.  This store has some of the most unique products and ingredients I’ve encountered outside of Manhattan.  They have black pickled pears, fresh lychees, and more.  They do not have lemongrass.  Lemongrass is a staple ingredient in many Asian (and some latino) cooking.  Get rid of the black pickled pears and give some shelf space to something you’d actually sell!  Arrrrrrgh.

Anyway, I traveled a bit north to Montrose and found it at the A & P.

I made the salad twice and the second time I changed the meat from London Broil to Flank Steak.  The Flank Steak was much better in flavor and texture in the salad when sliced thin across the grain.

The interesting part of this recipe is there is no oil, it is very fresh, and you marinate the meat AFTER you have cooked it.  One thing to remember, once you have grilled the meat, let it rest for at least 15 minutes to allow the juices to become reabsorbed into the meat or it will be dry.  As it rests, you will gather some of the cooking juices at the bottom of the plate on which it rests.  This is great flavor and I would recommend adding it right into the salad mixture.

Get into the Kitchen!:

Thai Beef Salad

2 green onions, chopped

1 stalk lemon grass, cut into 1 inch pieces

1 cup chopped fresh cilantro

1 cup chopped fresh mint leaves

1 cup lime juice (about 4 limes)

1/3 cup fish sauce

1 tablespoon sweet chili sauce

1/2 cup white sugar

1 1/2 pounds (1 inch thick) steak fillet (Flank Steak recommended)

1 head leaf lettuce – rinsed, dried and torn/cut into bite-size pieces (I use hearts of romaine)

1 English cucumber, diced

1 pint cherry tomatoes

DIRECTIONS:

In a large bowl, stir together the green onions, lemon grass, cilantro, mint leaves, lime juice, fish sauce, chili sauce and sugar until well combined and the sugar is dissolved. Adjust the flavor, if desired, by adding more sugar and/or fish sauce. Set aside.

Cook the steak over high heat on a preheated grill for approximately 4-6 minutes on each side, until it is cooked medium. Do not overcook the meat! Remove from heat and slice into thin strips. Add the meat and its juices to the sauce and refrigerate, tightly covered, for 2 – 3 hours.Tear the lettuce into bite size pieces and place in a salad bowl. Arrange the cucumber on top of the lettuce, and then pour the meat and sauce over. Top with the cherry tomatoes and garnish with fresh cilantro leaves. This is a perfect summer salad. Servings:  My opinion, and depending upon how hungry you are, is that this recipe would serve 4 as an appetizer or 2 as a main course.

Todd Alan is Westchester Eat’s critic for all things to stuff into your mouth, gadgetry to play with in the kitchen, and all things food.

Goldfish Oyster Bar & Restaurant
6 Rockledge Avenue, Ossining, NY 10562
(914) 762-0051

Formerly Dudley’s — with an emphasis on Dud — in Ossining, Goldfish Oyster Bar & Restaurant has taken over, done an extreme makeover and moved in.  No longer the purple building with dark interiors this place is now fresh, airy, and modern.

Tasting 1.0

Oyster Bar?!  Yes!  This area of Westchester needs more restaurants serving fresh and interesting oysters.  The “arrrrrgh” of my evening began when I asked to see their oyster menu.  They told me they had one type of oyster to serve – - Blue Point Oysters from Long Island.  Of course, my impulsive side whispered into my ear saying, “How can you call yourself an oyster bar and only have one type of oyster?”  Then my rationale side whispered into my other ear, “Oysters are only in season in the months in which there is an ‘R” in the spelling… For example, January, February, March… You get the point.  NOT August.  I calmed down and had the Blue Points.  They were OK and the mignonette was quite good, red wine vinegar, touch of shallot, and seasoning.  I look forward to my next ‘R’ month. 

My entrée was next in-line.  I ordered tuna, grilled medium-rare, laying on a wet bed of chimichurri sauce.  The sauce was different in that it had every component of a traditional chimichurri yet the addition of pureed roasted tomato.  The tuna was excellent and the sauce greeted the tuna with a hint of heat and rounded red tomato flavor. 

Dessert was interesting.  The crème brûlée was served unusually. Generally it is served in a shallow tart-like ceramic round.  This was served, in the closest that can be described, as a gravy-boat without the spout or handle.  The custard could have been warm rather than room temp., and the crust a bit more caramelized to make it crustier.  The part that intrigued me most about the crème brûlée was that it was topped with roasted little figs and toasted pignoli (pine nuts for the unaware).  That was fun!  The flavor held promise and was smooth and creamy on the tongue. 

The dessert that was done right was the chocolate bread pudding.  Appropriate temperature, loved the texture of the bread pieces, and chocolate permeated every bite.

Monday was not a crowded night despite the fact that many fine local eateries in the Croton/Ossining area are closed on Mondays.  One might think the local foodies would migrate to a new Monday haunt – - perhaps they haven’t heard of it yet. The young man serving us was tall, blond, and thin.  He was very young in appearance and experience.  However, he wanted to please.  He generally works at the owners’ sister restaurant Casa Rina, located in Thornwood (http://www.casarinarestaurant.com/) but was asked to assist on Mondays at Goldfish.  Although friendly and willing, he had no knowledge of wine, stated he did not care for seafood whatsoever and was basically filling a staffing void – - very pleasant but not who you want speaking to your seafood loving customers at a new joint.

Tasting 2.0

Miles is a friendly guy!  He has studied and wants to be in IT.  Oh, he is engaged to be married – - well, he was until my third visit.  He is entertaining and polite but can get himself caught up in conversation which doesn’t fare well with the owners or wait-staff. Several times I waved him on to focus on his duties rather than be his “couch”.

Appetizer:  Crab cake.  Yes, it is one; but one is enough.  This is the first crab cake I’ve had that truly is mostly crab.  One gets a ramekin shaped mini-tower of lump crabmeat on a plate surrounded by thirds of roasted tomato-coulis, basil pesto, and a smooth/creamy beurre blanc.  Very good!

Second appetizer – -yes, call me piggy… Alaskan King Crab Legs in a perfectly seasoned broth with floating cloves of roasted garlic.  Delicious!  Yes, you do have to work for it (complete with small fork and cracker); the effort is worth it.
 
Dessert:  Biscotti and a side of vin santo (Italian for “holy wine” traditionally served at dessert, chilled) which I requested in order to traditionally dip into. Although high in alcohol content, this vin santo was not appropriately chilled which exaggerated the alcohol.  The biscotti come with a chocolate sauce which remains viscous at room temperature.  When I inquired, I was told the chocolate is tempered and then a small addition of olive oil is added to keep the consistency without solidifying.  The biscotti lacked any notes of flavor and were in fact under-baked lacking crispness.  They had the sense of being left out in a humid room to absorb moisture

Tasting 3.0

We are seated on the upper level which overlooks the bar, dining room and kitchen below.  This experience is dinner-and-a-show as the cook in training had a small grease fire erupt which can be troublesome to a restaurant with an open kitchen.  Michael, one of the chef-owners watched to see how the new guy was going to handle the dilemma, then appropriately stepped in and put out the distracting flames.  The waiter on the upper floor was a woman with some ‘tude.  Not the kind of attitude I’m looking for when enjoying an evening of food and wine with friends.  We had to ask for her attention on multiple occasions.  She even got snippy with Miles which carved a dent in my bones.  I understood, but she does need to lighten up and focus on her focus.  As usual, the food was good.  Portion sizes are healthy.

Tasting 4.0

Appetizer: Scallops in a vanilla beurre blanc with hints of anise (and whole anise on the plate for decoration) accompanied by fried oysters topped with a remoulade.  The oyster fritters lacked seasoning overall and were very bland. 

However, the calamaris in a sweet chili sauce were an excellent choice. The breading was tempura like and the calamari had a good crunch.  The plate had a side salad of baby watercress simply seasoned with garlic, EVOO (extra virgin olive oil), and salt and pepper.  The s&p hand on the chef’s part was too light but good choice for the greens had he tasted it and adjusted.

Entrée: Skirt steak medium-rare with a side of wasabi mashed potatoes.  Nicely combined with no “hot pockets” of nasal burn… very good.

Final point:  A nice wine list – - but I have a beef!

The red wines are not at a drinkable temperature.  Over visits, each time I had to request an ice bucket where I had to personally attempt to keep the wine at the right temperature (not too hot, not too cold) in order to enjoy them at their best.  Too much work.  A restaurant which charges these prices, presents the quality of food it does, and attracts such a specific clientele must invest in a temperature controlled wine cooler.

Once properly chilled:  The bottles of Pinot Noir – - New Zealand.  Good

2004 – Merlot (California) – - very good

2002 New Zealand sauvignon blanc – - very good, cold and crisp with grassy essences, perfect for summer!

Report Card

Eats – Really Good, some issues with appropriate seasoning – - potential for excellence
Drinks – Nice martini menu, good wine offerings, some draught beer
Wait Staff – Tend to be young and inexperienced
Red Wine Temp. – Too hot!  Get a cooler
Buzz – A happy machine – - Older monied professionals
Award:  Most Interesting Caesar Salad
Award:  Best Crab Cake

Westchester Eats is a blog for the refined Westchester glutton, looking for good food in the neighborhood.  The blog will feature frequent reviews and ratings of all things food in and around Westchester.